A new tamale festival will soon debut on Catalina Island

AVALON, the biggest burg on Catalina Island, could easily be described as a panache-filled place with plenty to celebrate. You don't need to look too far to find the festive spirit possessed by the scenic salt-air'd spot; one glance at Avalon's annual calendar reveals all sorts of parties, dances, dining events, parades, the Catalina Wine Mixer, and the Catalina Film Festival. The hub for so many happenings on the enchanted isle may be found "in the heart of Avalon," not long after you disembark from your ferry: It's the Catalina Museum for Art & History. This is the museum behind the cinematic "JAWS" exhibition in 2018 and the large-scale Frida Kahlo projections that dazzled visitors in the summer of 2020. Now a new fiesta is making its way to the island institution, one that will have husks, masa, and sheer deliciousness at its heart. It's the...

INAUGURAL TAMALE FESTIVAL, a foodie festival set to take place on the final Saturday of April 2024. Strollers eager to snack will find "an array of homemade tamales from various vendors" as well as "live music, dancers, games, face-painting and a tamale tasting competition to crown the Best Tamale." Aurelio Reyes "El Gallo de Chiapas" y su Mariachi will perform as well as Ballet Folklorico Quetzal. While entry is complimentary, the museum is asking all attendees to register ahead of time at the site. And, of course, you'll need to plan your transportation to and from the island, which also boasts tours on both land and water, zip line adventures, peeks inside the vintage Casino Building, and, if you're traveling across the island, the charming port of Two Harbors, where Buffalo Milk cocktails are on the pour.